screed       1. a ranting piece of writing       2. cement-like material laid onto a floor to create a smooth level       (from Old English screade, a piece cut off; a shred.) Today is … [Read more...]

“I can’t do this,” I told Evie, my therapist. “Look at the YouTube of Meryl Streep celebrating Stephen Sondheim’s ninetieth birthday,” Evie suggested. “Meryl has no makeup on and she’s wearing her … [Read more...]

Today is April 11, Holy Saturday in the church calendar. Passover began at sunset on Wednesday. My editor and her husband had their first Zoom Seder “with family from Copenhagen, Toronto, California, … [Read more...]

I knew I should have edited first. My handler #3 was Lucy Doll. Not "Linda." 0h, Lucy, Lucy who lent her beautiful water pitcher for my speech and who guided me in my high heels over the bumps in the … [Read more...]

Last weekend I was the keynote speaker at the North Carolina Mountains Literary Festival in Burnsville, N.C. 2018 was the festival's thirteenth year. Each year has a theme, and this year's theme … [Read more...]

This was begun on April 21, 2018, the eve of Robert Starer's death seventeen years ago. Each year, the countdown begins: the last meal together (cheeseburgers), his final day of composing music (he … [Read more...]

Today is March 31, 2018, Holy Saturday in the Church calendar. Today is the beginning of Passover in the Jewish calendar. Scrooge met up with his Ghost of Christmas Past, Ghost of Christmas … [Read more...]

This is a scene that comes early in my new novel (title still secret.) While writing that early part I had not yet imagined this scene. But now, a year later, while writing an era further along in … [Read more...]

Today is February 14, 2018. It is Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day and my father's birthday. I can no longer give up drinking for Lent, having foresworn it forever nine years ago, so am mulling … [Read more...]